1. Posted on Friday 31 December 2010 - 09:29

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   Kemo

   

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   Kemo Cham, AfricaNewsreporter in Dakar, Senegal

   Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has openly taken sides on the ongoing political crisis in Ivory Coast, expressing support for defeated former President Laurent Gbagbo who has categorically refused to step down in defiance of the international community.

   

   The Gambian president, in a statement read on his behalf by his Secretary General, recognized Laurent Gbagbo as President of Ivory Coast and described ECOWAS’ military option as illegal. He said the widely recognized government of Alassan Outtara comprises rebels claiming victory of an election that has been decided by a constitutional court in Gbagbo’s favor.
   
   This makes the Gambian government as the only government in the world to recognize the increasingly isolated regime in Ivory Coast.
   
   “Why didn't Ecowas intervene when the rebels invaded Cote d’Ivoire in 2003, which led to the civil war that killed thousands of innocent people? These are the same rebels that are claiming victory to an election that has been decided by a constitutional court,” the statement by President Jammeh said, questioning ECOWAS’ suggestion of forceful intervention.
   
   This is the same argument the Gbagbo government continues to propagate in its continued refusal to yield to wisdom and cede power to the legitimate winner of last November election.
   
   Jammeh, described as a long time friend of Laurent Gbagbo, implied that ECOWAS is a stooge of Western powers (US, France and the European Union) which have been vocal in their condemnation of Gbagbo’s refusal to accept the will of the Ivorian people.
   
   “In all Francophone Africa, the constitutional courts have the final decision in the event of elections disputes. In Cote d'Ivoire's case, the court ruled and Ecowas is not accepting that ruling only because of pressure from some western powers whose vested interests in the natural resources of Cote d'Ivoire is an open secret,” he said.
   
   Yahya Jammeh backed his ferocious attack on ECOWAS for its failure to act in past situations in Guinea Bissa, Guinea and Sierra Leone, among other situations, where he said many had died before the sub regional bloc considered intervening.
   
   “… Why didn't Ecowas intervene in Guinea Conakry to put an end to the former criminal government of Captain Musa Dadis Camara that ended up slaughtering many people including innocent women and children? Even after this horrible crime, Ecowas never intervened militarily to topple that criminal regime…”
   
   Jammeh called foreign powers pushing for the installation of the legitimate government of President Allasan Ouatta as “racist powers” bent on deciding for Africans who should lead their countries.
   
   “Ecowas, which has been established to bring economic prosperity to the West African people, will not be allowed to be turned into a war machine to embark on military adventures in the pursuit of foreign interests that are very detrimental to say the least to Africa in general and West Africa in particular. African countries should be aware of those neocolonialist powers who are only interested in setting up puppet regimes in natural resource endowed countries in order to continue the daylight robbery of our resources.
   
   It is high time that foreign powers are forced to respect the independence and sovereignty of African countries; as well stop them from interfering in our internal electoral processes. Africans should put an end to this dictatorship of the neocolonialist and racist powers deciding for us who should lead African countries,” Jammeh said.

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Reactions

1. Posted on Monday 03 January 2011 10:42

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   Winnie Leong

   

   Winnie Leong
   33 berichten
   Lid sinds December 2010
   Kuala Lumpur

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   nice post! thanks for sharing! Geo Lenses
   Nudy Brown

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